Using God’s Gifts For His Glory

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

August 09, 2022

in Spritual Growth

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9th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Readings:
Genesis 15:1-6
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12: 32-40

We find ourselves having difficulty many times because of a lack of faith. Faith is not something in the future. It is something that has already been done. Our lack of understanding has caused us to miss the blessings. Scriptures tell us to “forget not His benefits.” When we have our faith in Him, we will not fail. He gives us instructions on what we need to do. If we would go back to the time of Moses, the children of Israel were given instructions on what was to be done as a preparation for them to leave Egypt. They were told to get a lamb, cook and roast it, and use the lamb’s blood to paint on their doorposts. And if the angel of death would pass by their houses, they would not be destroyed. Because they obeyed, they were saved. If only we would follow God’s instructions, then we would be spared from getting into trouble. Obeying God is actually easier now because of grace. In the olden times, they had the law.

Today’s lesson teaches us how we should live our lives. The preceding verses of Luke chapter 12 tells us that we should not be anxious on what we are going to eat or what we are going to wear. These things should not be that important that it consumes us. It also talks about how God feeds the birds and cares for the lilies. It is unfortunate that there is so much emphasis placed in media about what we should eat. Huge corporations are being built today because they want to control how we eat. But didn’t God give the children of Israel manna which had all the nutrition the body needed? God knows exactly what we need. There is no reason to be anxious. There are even talks today that there are not enough fertilizers and not enough sugar. But God will not fail us because He is our Supplier. We can be happy with what He gives us. We think we have to have certain possessions in order to be happy, when we should be seeking His Kingdom first. The Kingdom is God’s gift to us and we should be thankful to live out this gift. Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”

God gave us His only Son to identify with us. If He is willing to make this ultimate sacrifice, will He not give us other things? Our faith and confidence should be in God. In receiving, we should give honor to Him. Material things do not last but God’s Kingdom is everlasting. Christ wants us to understand that life goes beyond things that are temporary. We are suppose to be in preparation for the fullness of the Kingdom to come.

We should not put our trust in things that are temporary. They are not to be our security. When we are living the Kingdom life, it will not pass away. We will receive gifts and rewards according to what we have done. Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Our first love, our first commitment should be in seeking His Kingdom. John 17:4 “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” Most of us want people to praise us. We should be giving God the glory He deserves. Our task is not to take the gifts of God and use them for our own benefit, but to give Him glory and praise. John 9:4 “As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” Colossians 3:1 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.” 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” James 2:5 “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love him?”

Christ did not even have His own house because all His life, His direction was to seek and fulfill God’s will, and yet He was never without and did not go hungry. We should not seek benefits just for ourselves. We go to church not to be blessed per se, we go to church to bless. And whenever we give thanks to Him, we open the door for more.